Controversy makes preaching a more difficult proposition. But a congregation needs the spicier issues if for no other reason than that God fills his Word with just such fare.
—Stuart Briscoe

To keep my finger on the pulse of the congregation, I have twice passed out cards with the following words: "I would like to hear a sermon no longer than ___ minutes on the subject: What the Bible has to say about________."Self-appointed comics take advantage of this. One fellow said he'd like to hear a sermon no longer than five minutes on what the Bible says about God.

But many times people request the tough issues. People want to know if the Bible's message can stand up to modern pressures, and I want to assure them it can. The path toward relevance, however, is strewn with controversial topics.

It would be easier if we could preach a lifetime without ever touching on sin, morality, sexuality, lifestyle, or any number of other adrenalin inducers. Controversy makes preaching a more difficult proposition. ...